The spindles of a ring-spinning or -twisting machine normally have below the upper region on which the yarn or roving is wound a lower so-called reserve region around which the yarn is wound once the yarn package is full. This anchors the yarn to the spindle so the yarn package or cop can be doffed and a new tube can be set on the spindle, whereupon the yarn is wound on it. The yarn on the reserve surface must be removed periodically to prevent it from building up to a point where it interferes with operation of the machine.
The typical apparatus for removing yarn windings in the lower winding region of spindles of a ring-spinning or -twisting machine has a carriage that travels along the machine and has a cutting or scraping element effective on the yarn windings as well as a spacer connected to the cutting element and spring biased against the outer surface of at least one of the spindle whorls.
Such an apparatus is known from Italian patent 1,215,526 filed 28 May 1987 by D. Inverardi which has as cutting element a plurality of brushes which act on the yarn windings. These brushes are only slightly effective at removing yarn windings in the long run in a problem-free manner from the lower winding regions of spindles. They must be replaced often which is expensive and time-consuming.
Another apparatus for removing the lower winding remains from spindles of a ring-spinning machine is known from German utility model 9,111,455.1 wherein use is made of a block traveling along the row of spindles and bearing on the rough lower winding region as well as on a smooth area of the whorl of the spindle. The block is not as hard as the material of the whorl so that it is worn down by the rough lower winding region until its spacing is nearly zero. Thus the block rubs with maximum pressure on the yarn windings on the lower winding region, grinding them down without actually touching the lower winding region. Such an arrangement subjects the reserve surface to unacceptable wear. The reserve surface has a milled, knurled, or otherwise textured surface that must be preserved so it can catch the yarn. Thus the yarn-removing tool should not directly contact this reserve surface, but instead should come as close to it as safely possible, contacting only the yarn wound on this surface.
In a further device known from German patent document 1,267,154 for removing yarn windings on the spindle whorls use is made of a scraping and vacuuming device that tears off and aspirates the yarn windings. Further known devices (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,094,134) have scratching elements as well as tearing edges (see U.S. Pat. No. 3,312,051).
All these known apparatuses either do not work satisfactorily, are expensive, or have the danger that the element acting on the yarn windings damages the reserve surface.